Apple Starts the Sale of Unlocked iPhone 5 in the U.S.

Within two months after it hit the market, Apple has finally started selling the unlocked version of its latest smartphone, the iPhone 5. The unlocked iPhone 5’s 16 GB model is priced at $649, while the 32 GB model is priced at $749 and the 64 GB model costs $849.

You can buy the unlocked iPhone 5 directly from Apple’s online store, and it ships within one week. Orders are currently limited to two handsets per customer. You can also expect retail stores to start selling the unlocked iPhone 5 in the coming few days, although according to some reports, few stores had already started selling them unofficially since last week.

The unlocked version of the phone, while expensive, is a great option for frequent travelers who can change SIMs and avoid roaming costs. It is also a viable option for customers who don’t want to get locked into multi-year contracts and can afford to pay the steep price upfront instead. The unlocked iPhone 5 works only on GSM networks, and can only work on AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. Apple iPhone 5 also supports LTE connectivity, but Apple has not mentioned which bands the phone covers.

A more pocket-friendly alternative is the unlocked Google Nexus 4, which is priced at $300 for the 8 GB model and $350 for the 16 GB model. However, it may not be easy to find one of these devices, with Google already struggling to keep up with the demand. According to the pre-order page, customers will have to wait for 8-9 weeks for Google to ship this device. The only downside of the Nexus 4 – no LTE connectivity and no microSD card slot.